Orthodontic emergencies are not common, but when they do occur they can be painful and problematic. Most of these occurrences can be resolved or alleviated at home.

General discomfort is very common after a wire change, the turning of an appliance or starting of headgear or bumper. The use of Advil or Motrin will help, pain should only last a couple of days to a week.

A loose bracket can lengthen treatment time. Call and make an appointment as soon as a loose bracket is discovered. A loose bracket is any bracket that has completely fallen off a tooth or it may still be attached to your wire by ties and might just wiggle. If the bracket does not bother you leave it and make an appointment to have it fixed. If the bracket does bother you try and cover it with wax and call to make an appointment to have it fixed.

Using a tweezers try to place the wire back into the brace slot. If that does not work place wax over wire and call office for an appointment.

If the wire is poking out the end of your last bracket, place wax on it and call for an appointment to get your wire clipped.

If you are being poked by the tie wire around your bracket use a pencil eraser or a Q tip to push the tie back in.

If you have a chip on your appliance and it does not bother you and still fits, keep wearing your appliance and tell your assistant at your next appointment. Rough spots are easily smoothed with a finger nail file.

If you experience soreness on the roof of your mouth you can turn your appliance backwards and don’t turn again until after your next appointment and tell your assistant at your appointment.

If your appliance is broken into pieces, call and setup an appointment to have it repaired. Bring all the pieces with you.